When you’re drowning in debt, managing your personal finances probably seems downright impossible. You read all these headlines about investing and financial independence and you just want to give up, because you’re so far from that. But don’t be discouraged — it takes time to get your money in order.
Photo by find-cat.
I didn’t start doing all of this complicated personal finance stuff, like investing, all at once. At first, I was just interested in learning how to get out of debt. Then, I learned some tips for saving money on groceries and bills. After that, I learned about emergency funds. Then, I read up on superannuation and all of that.
Getting control of my money happened one step at a time, but each step got me closer. Bearded Dragon Finance calls it a Game of Inches:
You never know when making a small adjustment will lead to progress, which in turn leads to more progress. Going with the football analogy, have you ever seen a running back pick up a few inches which gives their team a first down, and then the next play is a 46m touchdown pass? That touchdown never would have happened without the few inches picked up on the previous play….This is actually how many people go about getting their financial house in order, myself included. You start making small changes and, encouraged by your progress, you keep making more progress.
People don’t just wake up suddenly knowing how to manage their money. They gain a few inches, then gain a few more, and suddenly they are marching down the field picking up yards in chunks.
As the post points out, small achievements make a big difference. So if you’ve saved $20 a month on your grocery bill, think of it as one small step toward getting your finances in order. If you’re paying off your debt, think of it as investing for your future.
The full post is a great read, so be sure to check it out at the link below.
A Game of Inches [Bearded Dragon Finance]
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